Upcoming Food Festivals on California’s Central Coast by Ruth Paget

Upcoming Food Festivals on California’s Central Coast by Ruth Paget

Gilroy Garlic Festival

July 24 - 26, 2026

Gilroy, California

Event information follows:

https://gilroygarlicfestival.com/ 

Strawberry Festival

August 1 - 3, 2026

Watsonville, California

Event information follows:

https://www.watsonville.gov/1117/Watsonville-Strawberry-Festival

Artichoke Festival

September 5, 2026

Castroville, California

Castroville claims to be the world capital of artichoke production.

Event information follows:

https://kioncentralcoast.com/news/2025/08/18/organizers-confirm-artichoke-festival-will-return-to-castroville-for-two-events-in-2026/

Food festivals which I always associate with Italy, Spain, and France are very much part of Central California’s culture as well. ((See Carol Field’s book Celebrating Italy and Discovering Spain by Penelope Casas on this topic.  For France, the fete de Cochon or late fall hog killing festivals in Auvergne are examples.)

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

The Mystical Arts of Tibet on May 22, 2026 in Carmel, California by Ruth Paget

The Mystical Arts of Tibet Culture Showcase will take place on May 22, 2026 at the Sunset Center in Carmel, California.

More information about the Mystical Arts of Tibet Showcase and ticket purchase details follow:

https://www.sunsetcenter.org/event/the-mystical-arts-of-tibet-sacred-music-sacred-chants/

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Antique Yellow Lady Banks Rose Sighting at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

Antique Yellow Lady Banks Rose Sighting at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget 

Antique roses seem to have many petals and a noticeable fragrance. The yellow lady banks rose by the post office behind The Market at Pebble Beach, California certainly seems to fit this description. 

Yellow lady banks roses can grow up to 20 feet. The one by the post office at Pebble Beach stands at about 9 feet and still growing. 

This rose bush blooms in spring but is most abundant in summer. It is valued in California, because it is drought resistant. 

I admired it with a Peerless organic coffee from The Market at Pebble Beach. Sipping coffee and identifying plants, flowers, and trees is a nice way to slow down and relax on the weekend for me. 

I used the Google lens app to identify the yellow lady banks rose. I then checked several other website to make sure I had a correct identification. 

More general information about the yellow lady banks rose follows: 

https://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/products/lady-banks-yellow?srsltid=AfmBOopKnG852Vl9dY07CyYcCJGt-kJucSZWiLt9LBT2yc3qYN5vfZLo 

Nursery information and purchase details follow: 

https://heirloomroses.com/products/lady-banks?srsltid=AfmBOopJYZwspbqhJUjU9xj889f2MSkh2iKKtn_1ym4-iVeOLio5-Ola 

Happy Garden Strolling! 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Japanese Gyoza Dumplings at Raley’s Nob Hill - try ‘em for dinner! By Ruth Paget

I love Japanese gyoza pork and cabbage dumplings.  You can make them in a variety of ways, but I have the best results when I sauté them stovetop.

As a condiment for dipping, you can dunk them in soy sauce or ponzu sauce which is made with soy sauce, mirin wine and citrus.  They are very good with snipped green onions and rice on the side.  Pickles go well with this too for crunch and a fermented, probiotic side.

A link for them at Nob Hill follows:

 https://www.instacart.com/products/73709863-ajinomoto-chicken-gyoza?retailer_id=291&product_id=73709863&region_id=10432246829&utm_medium=sem_shopping&utm_source=instacart_google&utm_campaign=ad_demand_shopping_mixed_catchall_california_evergreen&utm_content=accountid-8145171519_campaignid-19755274999_adgroupid-149557268627_device-m&utm_term=targetid-pla-855649034760_locationid-9031879_adtype-pla_productchannel-online_merchantid-260497098_storecode-_productid-73709863&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19755274999&gbraid=0AAAAADO98hYoEH_teTS9MYNCzdwsrurf_&gclid=CjwKCAjwq6DQBhBVEiwA4ZD5XO_FmgHRLwXPsI1yTXwQOaSrNe5PZFBPa1bMrwAnhMhVU5_h9KFB6xoCIuAQAvD_BwE

H Mart sells these and you could probably find them at Asia Pacific Market in Marina, California as well.

Happy Cooking!

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Salinas Valley Fair Happening Now - May 15 - 17, 2026 reposted by Ruth Paget

Salinas Valley Now, the online sister publication of Monterey County Now, has a great story about this weekend’s fair.

Lots of activities for kids and wine tastings for adults.

A link to the Salinas Valley Now story follows:

https://www.salinasvalleynow.com/2026/05/animals-rides-and-wine-all-come-together-at-salinas-valley-fair/ccec64a6/?utm_source=Monterey+County+Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=999b685ea2-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2026_05_11_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-2bcfee4788-424991269

Have fun strolling in the sun!

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Oppenheimer film lovers book suggestion reposted by Ruth Paget

People who loved the film Oppenheimer and want to know more about the experiments carried out in Los Alamos might enjoy the book Trinity: An Illustrated History of the World’s First Atomic Test by Emily Seyl named for the work done in Los Alamos, New Mexico.

Trinity is published by the University of Chicago Press.  

General Information and purchase information follow:

https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/465/#cv/priority/%5Esmartlabel_promo/19e2ba1413cd6830

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Oleaster (Silverberry) Sightings and Others at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

Oleaster (Silverberry) And Other Sightings at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget 

On my latest outing to Pebble Beach (California) for organic Peerless coffee at The Market, I used the Google lens app to identify a dense, leaf-packed shrub called an oleaster or silverberry. 

The oleaster can be trimmed to make a hedge for privacy. It blossoms in summer and can grow into a mid-size tree (about 5 to 8 feet). 

The oleaster is popular in coastal areas due to its ability to withstand salt and wind. 

More general information about the oleaster follows: 

https://mygardenlife.com/plant-library/russian-olive-oleaster-elaeagnus-angustifolia

Nursery information and purchase information about the oleaster follow: 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/FLOWERWOOD-2-5-qt-Elaeagnus-x-Ebbingei-Ebbings-Silverberry-Oleaster-Live-Evergreen-Shrub-for-Hedges-and-Screens-1417Q/300800527

Thanks to the Google lens app, I was able to easily identify the oleaster. I checked other websites to make sure I had the right plant. 

The Google lens app has allowed me to add nature photography, nature writing, and gardens walks to my hobby list. I have used field guides in the past to do this, but Google lens speeds up the process considerably. 

I will use Google lens to identify flowers, plants, trees, and animals throughout Pebble Beach now. I already like to visit this spot for bird watching. Pebble Beach has brown pelicans, cormorants, and seagulls in abundance with Great Egrets starting to make appearances on a regular basis. 

Deer and seals also make Pebble Beach home. I enjoy looking at them at a distance and use my phone camera close up zoom app to take photos of them. 

Taking time to learn about the oleaster plant I saw at The Market made me appreciate the organic coffee and all the wildlife at Pebble Beach, California even more than usual. 

Other visitors might enjoy adding plant identification to their Pebble Beach, California outings as well. 

Happy Strolling on the Coast! 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games